


Frozen Heart

by greendragon19



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: M/M, after season 3a, derek and cora didnt leave
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-09
Updated: 2017-10-09
Packaged: 2019-01-10 23:43:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,144
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12310365
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/greendragon19/pseuds/greendragon19
Summary: Derek and Stiles are attacked in the woods by a creature with ability to freeze its prey with its bite and Stiles is bitten.(lots of Derek fighting to protect Stiles and cuddling together for warmth)





	Frozen Heart

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is set after season 3A except in this Derek and Cora didn't leave.  
> This is my first posted fic so please be nice, if you enjoy it please leave comments and kudos it will honestly make my day. Enjoy.

Stiles pulled up outside the old Hale house, it was late afternoon on Friday and Derek was already there. He was on the porch leaning against one of the only remaining walls of the old burnt house, he was wearing jeans, a plain t shirt and his leather jacket. It really didn't seem fair to Stiles that Derek could just look that cool without even trying.

Derek started to walk over to the Jeep as Stiles got out.

"Remind me again why you ask me to come all the way out here and not Scott?"

Stiles had been snooping around the sheriff’s station when he found reports of strange sightings in the woods. Dead animals with strange wounds and a pair of hikers claimed that they saw woman out there who seemed to vanish in front of their eyes, but because there were no reports of any missing people in or around beacon hills and because both of the hikers appeared to be stoned, his dad didn't have any reason to send anyone out looking.

"Scott's got a lot on his mind at the moment, with his dad being back in town," said Stiles. He walked over so that he was walking next to Derek as they entered the woods. "I didn't want to bother him if it turned out to be nothing." Stiles personally hopped it would be some kind of cult hiding out in the woods, dancing under the moonlight and sacrificing small animals.

“So you decided to bother me instead?” Derek said but his tone was light, like he didn't really care.

***

"May be we should turn back." They had been walking for a couple of hours. They hadn't seen anything even slightly odd and Stiles was bored, "there probably isn't even anything out here."

Derek shot him an irritated glare and then froze, he tilted his head to the side as if he were hearing something that Stiles couldn't.

"What is it?" Stiles asked.  
"I'm not sure I think I can hear someone else's heart beat."  
"What do you mean you're not sure?"

"I don't know there is just something off about it,"

 

After a few minutes they saw it a figure crouched by a large tree, as they got closer Stiles could see it was a woman, long black hair cascading down her back, she was curled up at the trunk of the tree and appeared to be crying.  
Stiles stumbled over his feet as he ran closer to her "Hey, are you ok?" he bent down slightly and reached out his hand to touch her shoulder.

"Stiles wait!" Derek yelled but it was too late the woman turned around moving so fast that it knocked Stiles to the ground. He must have hit the back of his head hard on a rock. A loud ringing erupted in his ears and his vision went blurry.

***

As soon as she turned knocking Stiles to the ground she began to change, her bones began to grow stretching until she was almost seven foot tall, her skin paled and became almost translucent, her hair no longer a wave of black silk became dishevelled and patchy, and her eyes were two large white pearls embed in her skull. But Derek could change too, he could feel his fingers change into claws and his teeth shifted and changed to fangs, adrenalin coursed through him in anticipation for a fight. He lurched towards the creature, a low snarl erupting from his throat, he slashed at it with his claws, but it was fast, faster then Derek and it batted him away with its fore arm sending Derek flying. He hit the ground several feet away, it was barley paying Derek any attention, all of its focus on Stiles. Derek took the opportunity, he ran at it as fast as he could driving his claws deep into its back. The creature let out a screech of pain a noise unlike anything Derek had heard before, it was awful, and it made his ears ring and his eyes water. Thick black blood erupted from the wound when Derek pulled his hands free. The creature turned to him now Derek tried to slash at it again but it moved to fast.

A long bony hand was wrapped around Derek's throat, its grip tightened and slammed his body against a tree knocking the breath from him. Its hands were strong and cold and it barely seemed to notice when Derek clawed at them trying to get himself free.

He tried to suck in a breath but it was no use the creature's hold on his throat was too tight. His thoughts began to swim and his vision began to cloud as his brain was being deprived of oxygen. He took one last look over the creature's shoulder to where Stiles lay unconscious on the ground, relief washed over him like a wave when he amplified his hearing and could hear the steady beat of Stiles’ heart before the darkness consumed him.

***

Stiles watched as the creature dropped Derek's body to the ground, a sudden flood of anger surged through him. Stiles tried to get to his feet but he was dizzy from where he hit his head. The creature grabbed his leg and pulled him towards it, Stiles tried to kick out and get free but it was strong and held his ankle in a firm grip.

The creature dropped to all fours. It seemed to be measuring Stiles up, looking up and down him. It lent over and sniffed at Stiles, it dragged him close, and bent down over him. It was hard to look at, pale skin stretched over pointed bone and its eyes were nothing but whites. It opened its mouth to reveal several rows of jagged teeth and bit down on Stiles’ leg, a cold pain shot through his body, he couldn't help but yell out. He was about ready to pass out again, when Derek appeared.

Derek seemed to appear out of nowhere, he sunk his teeth deep into the creatures shoulder, and it let out a blood curdling scream and rand off into the woods. Leaving Derek stood breathless with black blood smeared across his face.  
The sight of Derek filled Stiles with relief, he had thought for sure that Derek was dead. He lent down offering Stiles a hand and pulling him to his feet.

“I thought you were dead,” Stiles managed to choke out as a fresh wave of pain and dizziness shot through him as he applied weight to his injured ankle. He tried not to let it show, tried to push the pain to the back of his mind but it didn't work. Derek didn't say anything, but he helped Stiles limp over to an uprooted tree that was laying on the ground not far from them.

 

"What the hell was that thing?" Stiles asked as he balanced himself carefully on the tree "I'm not going to turn into one am I?" the thought barely had time to sink in when he started to panic about it. He didn't want to be a werewolf let alone a giant skeleton monster with gross eyes and black blood. A shiver ran down his back and he pulled his hoodie closed around him.

"I think it was nymph" Derek said as he sat down next to Stiles, "wait why you think you would turn into one?"

Stiles pulled up the bottom of his jeans to reveal a nasty looking bite just above his ankle. The skin around it was turning purple and blood and something else (monster spit maybe, it probably was best not to think about) was oozing from it. "It bit me,"

"Shit" Derek cursed under his breath he checked his cell phone shook his head “damn no signal.” He knelt down next to Stiles examining his ankle further his expression becoming more worried. Stiles checked his own phone which was also out of signal, so no calling for help.

"What, what is it," Stiles was really beginning to panic now, "I am aren't I, I'm going to turn into a giant gross skeleton monster," Stiles didn't care that he was almost shouting.  
"Shut up Stiles" Derek snapped "you're not going to turn into one,"

The panic started to fade slightly he could feel his heart beat come back to normal "Then what is it, what's wrong?"

Derek sat back down next to Stiles, it was beginning to get dark but even Stiles could see that Derek looked worried.

"There are lots of different types of nymphs," Derek let out a shaking breath "I think this one was an ice nymph, they have a kind of venom in their bite that freezes there pray.” he shot an apologetic look toward Stiles, “To make it last longer."

Stiles buried his head in his hands, he needed a minute to process what Derek had told him.

"So I'm going to slowly freeze to death?" Stiles hoped he had miss heard something and this wasn't the case, freezing to death was really not how he wanted to go out.

"Look I'm sure Deaton has something back at the clinic, it’s just." Derek's voice trailed off. Now Stiles was just getting pissed and cold, ok really cold in fact. He zipped up his hoodie and shoved his hands into his pockets. "What is Derek? Whatever you’re not telling me? Just do it, lay it all out there I'd rather know,"

Derek had a look on his face that made Stiles nervous "Ok, fine. From what I've read nymphs are normally nocturnal and they usually hunt in groups. I could barely fight one of those things. If we were attacked in the dark by more than one we would definitely die."

"Ok so I’ll find some place to hide and you run back on your own and you know get back up or something," even Stiles new that this was a terrible plan.

"If I do that the rest of the nymphs will hunt you down and kill you."

"Can't we reason with them?"

"Nymphs aren't human Stiles. They aren't even part human they just mimic the form as a trap."

"So what are we supposed to do?" Stiles could hear the whine in his voice but he really didn't want to die out in the woods alone.

"We find shelter, try to keep you warm and leave first thing in the morning" Derek seemed unnaturally calm about the situation. Stiles wondered if you eventually just get used to being in mortal danger.

***

Derek had lit a small fire at the entrance to the cave, Stiles was sat slumped against a wall close to it, he kept fidgeting rubbing his hands together and scrunching them back up into his pockets. Derek wanted to build the fire bigger but he knew that would only draw other nymphs to them. He stood just outside of the entrance of the cave, he couldn't sit still he was worried about Stiles even if he would never admit it out loud, since being bitten by the nymph Stiles had been quiet, which was very unusual for him, and to tell the truth it made Derek uneasy.

"Derek!" Stiles barked from inside the cave "Stop pacing you're making me nervous" It wasn't until Stiles said it that Derek realised that he had in fact been pacing up and down in front of the cave. "Come inside and sit down."

"Shut up Stiles” Derek hissed "do you want to tell the rest of them exactly where we are” But he did as he did as he was told any way, he knew it was pointless trying to keep watch from the cave entrance. If any more of the nymphs were going to try and attack them he would hear them long before he saw them and besides he needed to rest for the walk back in the morning.

He shrugged off his leather jacket, it was a warm night and the heat from the fire had made the cave stuffy. He sat down next to Stiles leaning against the cave wall.

"I'm guessing that it’s not nearly as cold as I feel" Stiles said indicating to Derek's jacket with a slight nod off his head, his voice shaking as he spoke. Derek's stomach twinged, he wanted to shake off the remark, say it was just a werewolf thing and probably was cold, but he couldn't bring himself to lie not now, not to Stiles. So instead he just shrugged and mumble in agreement.

It was only now that he was close that Derek could see how sick Stiles was, his skin was unnaturally pale and his lips already turning slightly blue. His entire body seemed to shake as he pulled nervously at the sleeves of his hoodie.  


"What is it?" Stiles asked a slight tremor in his voice. Derek immediately dropped his gaze to look at a very interesting spot on the ground. He hadn't meant to stare.

"It's nothing. Here." he said and handed stiles the jacket he had just taken off.

"Wow, I feel honoured" Stiles said his voice dripping with sarcasm as he put the jacket on.

"I can have it back if you prefer," the threat was of course entirely false. Derek actually quite enjoyed seeing Stiles in his jacket, it hung loose over his slight frame, making him look smaller like someone who needed to be protected and Derek wanted to be that person, the person who protected Stiles.

"No it fine" Stiles said hastily, shaking Derek out of his train of thought, he shoved the thought to the back off his mind like he had many times before. Besides he reminded himself Stiles is more then capable of looking after himself. Well most of the time anyway.

***

Stiles hugged Derek's jacket closer around himself, as a cold chill ran up his spine. It had been happening like that since he was bitten waves of cold each one worse than the last. His head was still sore from where he hit it and it made it hard for him to think so he stayed quite, not that Derek seemed to notice he was sat up, alert, no doubt listening out for more nymphs or other dangers. He scrunched his hands into fists hiding them in the sleeves, it was much too big over the shoulders but he didn't care. Stiles hunched his shoulders up and nuzzled his head into the soft leather of the jacket. It was helping to a certain extent, but not much. It smelt of old leather, sweat, dirt and the fresh scent of leaves and the woods. It smelt like Derek, which Stiles found oddly comforting.

 

"Is it helping much?" Derek's voice cut through the silence like a blade and made Stiles jump so hard he hit his head, again, on the wall. Derek smirked. "The jacket."

Stiles reached up and rubbed his head with his hand "a bit." Derek didn't seem convinced, he could hear how uneven the cold was making his voice. Stiles shifted uncomfortably were he sat unsure of whether or not to tell Derek how cold he was "my fingers are going numb," he admitted.

Derek moved himself up next to Stiles so that their shoulders were touching. He reached out and grabbed one of Stiles’ hands, it took him by surprise and he tried to stifle a gasp. Derek's hands were rough and his grip was too tight and kind off uncomfortable but his hands were warm it made Stiles’ head swim, well that and the concussion he most likely had. "Jesus Stiles" Derek's voice jolted Stiles into attention, "You're freezing, you should have said something," his voice, heavy with concern.

"It's not that bad," Stiles tried to sound convincing but new he had failed.  
"Come here" Derek dropped Stiles’ hand and wrapped his arm around Stiles shoulder, Stiles tensed up, he didn't mean to it was just a reflex.

"Werewolves run hotter than humans," Derek explained. "We need to keep your body temperature up, we can't start walking again until dawn at the earliest and that's not for hours,"

Stiles felt incredibly awkward with Derek's arm around him, he didn't know what to do with his arms or hands, he tried putting his hands in his pockets but he ended up elbowing Derek in the ribs and if they weren't in his pockets they felt like they were going to freeze. Derek seemed to sense this he rearranged Stiles’ arms so that they were looped around Derek's waist "There now stop fidgeting," Derek said his voice softer then Stiles expected as if he were tired. "Get some sleep Stiles."

Stiles closed his eyes but he didn't sleep not immediately, he knew he should feel awkward and embarrassed sat against a cave wall and cuddled up to Derek, but he didn't. He was too cold, his thoughts still jumbled from hitting his head, besides it was nice. He could feel the heat radiating off of Derek's body but it wasn't just that, he liked how he fit under Derek's arm, his head resting on Derek's chest, the slow steady rise and fall of his breathing and how were his hands were resting just above Derek's hips had raked up his t-shirt slightly allowing just a few of his finger tips to rest on Derek's skin which seemed to burn like fire in comparison to Stiles’ freezing hands. He hopped to god Derek wasn't listening to his heart beat because it felt like it was beating so fast it would just burst right out of his chest. He tried to slow it down, tried to allow himself just to melt in to Derek and that moment. Tried to commit as much to memory as possible his warmth, his smell, everything.

***

Derek hadn't meant to fall asleep, but he must have at some point during the night. He woke up lying on the ground, one of Stiles’ arms was under Derek's back, his head was resting on his shoulder but he couldn't see his face and his other arm was strewn across Derek's torso. Derek's mind was a sleepy haze, it almost felt like he was dreaming. With his arm that Stiles was asleep on, he absent-mindedly ran his fingers though Stiles’ hair. The side of his hand brushed the skin on Stiles’ face, it was freezing.

It jolted him awake, properly this time, memories of the day before came rushing back to him. "Stiles! Stiles you need to wake up." Derek sat up, pulling Stiles with him and leaning him up against the wall of the cave. Stiles didn't even seem to stir. His skin was paper white and his lips were an alarming shade of blue. Derek listened hard for Stiles’ heartbeat, it was there but it was slow, way to slow. He cupped his hands around Stiles’ face his skin almost burnt from the cold but Derek didn't care, he had to get Stiles to wake up. "Come on Stiles, you've got to wake up!" Derek didn't care if he alerted every supernatural creature in these woods to where they were. Stiles mumbled incoherently about wanting to go back to sleep but his eyes didn't open. Derek hit Stiles gently across the face and then not so gently when that didn't work, he got a slightly grumbled reply to that but it wasn't enough to keep his heart rate up. Derek didn't know what else to do he had tried everything he could think of but nothing worked Stiles’ heart beat was beginning to slow even more. "Come on Stiles. Please I need you to open your eyes," he was desperate, pleading, he knew there was no way he could carry Stiles all the way back to Deaton's in time. He had to do something, he cursed inwardly at himself he knew what he had to do. He lent foreword his lips pressed against Stiles’, Stiles’ lips were freezing and Derek's stomach felt like it was in his throat. He knew he was being ridiculous this didn't mean anything he just had to get Stiles to wake up and the only way to do that was to surprise him.

Stiles’ eyes shot open and Derek drew back immediately.

"What the hell did you do that for?!" he stank of surprise and adrenalin, Derek could hear Stiles’ heart pounding in his chest. "You wouldn't wake up" Derek stood up and turned to walk toward the entrance of the cave "your heart was beating to slow, I had to do something to induce adrenaline." when he got to the opening of the cave he turned back "It was that or break your thumbs," he joked. Stiles stayed silent, his face unreadable. "We should go as soon as possible." Derek added. He turned away it was hard to look at Stiles now. He always knew Stiles would never reciprocate his feelings but there was knowing and there was knowing.

***

They had been walking for maybe half an hour, Stiles’ arm was around Derek's shoulders and Derek had his arm around Stiles’ waist supporting him, partly because Stiles could barely walk on his own but also because if he wasn't pressed up against Derek taking in as much of his body heat as possible Stiles felt like he would freeze right on the spot.

"You know what's strange?" Stiles said after he could take the silence no longer, he needed to do something other than limp along side Derek to keep warm "I keep expecting to be able to see my own breath. I know it makes sense that I can't, it’s not the air that's cold it’s me but it’s still strange"

A slight smile teased at the corner of Derek's mouth.

"When we were kids and it got cold, Laura and I would pretend to be dragons," Stiles couldn't help but laugh at this.

"Because being werewolf just isn't enough like a fantasy movie for some kids," said Stiles with his usual level of sarcasm.

"I was like eight, I hadn't ever changed at that point."  
"It's odd to think of you as a kid, I just assumed that the earth opened up and spat you out as a dark and brooding adult." Derek jabbed Stiles in the ribs, hard. Of course it had just occurred to Stiles that Derek had just shared a personal memory from when he was a kid which Stiles was pretty sure Derek had never done before.

"Scott and me, we use to pretend that we were smoking. We thought we were so cool" he added sheepishly. He felt Derek chuckle slightly next to him. They kept going like this for about another hour they hadn't come across another nymph. All the time it was getting harder and harder for Stiles to talk. He felt as if he was slowly turning into a block of ice, he could barely move his legs and he knew he would be dead if it wasn't for Derek.

Derek stopped dead on his tracks, he could hear something or smell it. "W w what is it?" Stiles managed to get out. Derek shushed him.

"I can here people," Derek's voice came out as barely a whisper.

"That's, g good. Isn’t it," Stiles was really struggling to talk now but surely it could only be good, maybe they could help.

"I don't think so. The closer they get, the clearer I can smell it,"

"S smell what?"

"Something bad, hate maybe, greed? Just let me do the talking,"

A few moments’ later four men appeared through the trees in front of them. They were all relatively tall and barrel chested, with large scraggly beards, they all looked to be about forty. Two of them were holding large calibre shot guns and the other two had hand guns (not exactly hunting issue. Stiles noted to himself). They had a look on their faces something Stiles didn't trust. He pulled himself up slightly, against Derek so he was stood straight. He didn't know why he just didn't want to show weakness in front of these men.

The tallest of the group, who had a hand gun, stepped forward, they all seemed surprised to have come across anyone in the woods this early. "Hey there boys," he said his tone wasn't unfriendly but it rang entirely false to Stiles, it must have to Derek too because he tensed up eminently. "What are you doing out here this early?"

"Out for a walk, “Derek replied keeping his tone remarkably even.

"What's wrong with your friend, he don't look so good?" it was one of the other men and the one who had been talking shot him a menacing glare.

"Probably ate something he shouldn't have, I'll take him to the hospital when we get back into town,"

A blood curdling grin washed over his face as he looked down to Stiles’ ankle and raised his gun. "That looks like a bite to me. Tell me where she is."

Derek snarled, they had all raised their guns now. "Now, now we don't want to hurt you boys, just tell us where she is and we'll let you go."

"I know you're lying," Derek snarled "I can hear your heart beat."

***

It all happened fast, the youngest one of them fired his shot gun towards Derek, and he only just managed to push himself and Stiles out of the way. He knew that his only choice was to leave Stiles while he fought, but he didn't want to, Stiles had gotten so cold on the walk back Derek didn't know how much time he had left.

He changed then and ran at the leader of the group, he snatched his gun and threw it out into the woods. He grabbed him as the man tried to punch Derek but it was no use, Derek's strength was far superior, he picked the man up by his shirt and threw him at a tree knocking him unconscious. The other three who had either been too afraid of shooting their friend or too surprised, to shoot took their chances now. But he was faster than they were, he got to the youngest one in the group before the others even had a chance to get off a shot. He took his gun and hit it hard against his head making him fall to the ground. He heard the next shot but he didn't see it in time. He felt the cold mettle of the bullet dig into the flesh of his left shoulder, he reached into it with his claws and ripped the bullet out, he growled in pain but it didn't stop him. It didn't even slow him down. He knew he would heal from it. He ran at the guy closest to him knocking him to the ground, the final man ran at Derek forgetting his gun, but Derek hit him as hard as he could and the man went flying. He lent over the man who he had knocked to the ground, he hit him hard square in the face, so that he passed out.

Derek ran over to where he had left Stiles and bent down over him. His eyes were closed, his lip were dark blue and entire body had gone limp. "Stiles, Stiles wake up," he said he went to touch his face, his skin burnt with cold. He was beginning to panic, he couldn't be dead not Stiles. He listened as hard as he could, at first he didn't hear anything "come on Stiles," he mumbled and then he heard it, Stiles’ heart beat was slow and way to quiet but it was there and that was something. He knew that he wouldn't be able to wake Stiles up this time. So he picked Stiles up, he was heavier then Derek would have thought but it didn't bother him. He barely noticed all he could think about was getting Stiles back to Deaton's. He ran as fast as he could until he reached his old home. He put Stiles down next to the Jeep and rummaged in his pockets until he found the keys.

He knew Stiles would kill him if he found out that Derek had not only driven the Jeep, but he drove it all the way into town doing double the speed limit with the heaters running on full. It would no doubt cause issues with the engine later but he didn't care he just had to get Stiles to Deaton as soon as possible. He spent the entire drive listening to Stiles’ heart beat get weaker and weaker.

He skidded to a halt right outside the clinic, almost forgetting to put the hand break on. He jumped out of the driver’s seat pulling Stiles with him it was almost eight in the morning and Derek hopped that Deaton was in.

***

"And you’re sure it was an ice nymph that bit him?" Deaton sounded calm like he always did but Derek was frantic.

"Yes I'm sure you have to do something, you have to help him."

"I will, I just have to make sure I give him the right thing, Scott," Scott who had been stood in the

Corner of the room looking more and more worried looked up at the sound if his name. "The cupboard over there, there should be a jar of a thick green liquid I need you to get it for me," Scott did as he was told. Deaton had already removed Stiles’ shoe and sock and cut Stiles’ jeans away from his ankle and cleaned away most of the dried blood. The skin around the wound was purple and the wound its self was a mess of multiple layers of teeth marks, it looked worse than it had the day before, it was still oozing blood but the clear fluid was now almost black. It made Derek nauseous, he had to lean on the counter behind him to stop himself from falling over.

Deaton took the jar from Scott, who was looking slightly green, and poured half of the contents over the bite. It stank like rotting fruit but it seemed to help. Stiles heart beat instantly began to pick up. Deaton began to wrap a bandage around Stiles’ ankle. Derek was so focused on Stiles he hadn't even notice Scott come up next to him, "what the hell happened? What were you and Stiles doing out there?" Scott was yelling but then stopped he indicated to Derek's shoulder his t-shirt was covered in blood "Are you hurt?"

Derek had forgotten, he had been so focused on Stiles "I was shot, I’ll heal, it'll be fine"

  
Stiles’ dad took Stiles home at about nine but he still wasn't awake, Deaton said it might even take days.

Derek spent most of the morning filling Scott in on what had happened out in the woods with the nymph, leaving out a few details of course. Deaton added in information he had on nymphs but most of it brought up more questions then answers.

***

He was surrounded by darkness, his head felt fuzzy and he was so cold, Stiles tried to open his eyes but couldn't. He could hear people talking around him but he couldn't pick out individual voices or words. He could smell something strange like rotting fruit but worse and then something touched his leg, by his ankle, it felt strange and wet but sent a slow warmth through his body.

 

Stiles could feel someone's arms around him picking him up. The sudden cold of outside air jolted him enough that he could open his eyes slightly. "Dad?" he tried to say but it came out as an incoherent mumble.

"It's ok son, I'm taking you home" his fathers voice was soft and reassuring and Stiles slipped into unconsciousness again.

 

Stiles’ head was pounding but he managed to open his eyes for a second, just long enough to see that he was in his room, his father and Melissa stood at the foot of his bed. His father looked tired, Melissa stood with her hands on her hips obviously trying to explain something. "I've checked him over Noah, Deaton was right he's going to be fine" Melissa sounded tired like she had already said this several times before.

"Then why isn't he awake?" his fathers voice was raged and urgent.

"I'll put him on a drip just to make sure he doesn't get dehydrated, but the truth is whatever that thing did left Stiles completely drained. He just needs to rest he'll wake up when he's ready."  


Early morning sun filtered through Stiles’ window, he looked around his room to see his dad asleep in the chair by his desk. Stiles winced at the sight of him, worried at what sleeping like that would do to his fathers back. He pushed himself up against his pillows so that he was sat almost up right, being careful not to knock the IV line coming out of his arm. Sitting made his head feel dizzy, but he shook it off. Someone must have changed his cloths while he was asleep, his blood crusted jeans had been replace by sweat pants and a plain grey t-shirt that was slightly too big.

"Hey dad, you planning on staying there all day?"

Noah woke up instantly when he heard his son’s voice, a smile of relief spread across his face.

"How long have I been asleep?"

"About two days, how are you feeling?" his tone was anxious, worried, but Stiles couldn't worry about that now, he had to know.

"What happened to that thing, the nymph?" and Derek, the last thing stiles remembered before passing out was seeing Derek get shot, he knew off course that Derek would have healed by now, but he needed to know if he was all right too. But he left that question unspoken. Derek's leather jacket was tossed on the floor by the end of Stiles’ bed, which must have meant he hadn't been by. But then why would Derek come and visit it's not like he ever had before.

"Stiles!" his dad’s voice cut through his thoughts like a knife. "I couldn't care less about whatever that thing was, you've been unconscious for two days, you nearly died, how are you feeling?" His dad stood up from the chair and moved over so he was sat on the side of Stiles’ bed. "And don't you dare give me some non-answer bull shit. Tell me the truth."

Now he was close Stiles could see the bags under his eyes, he looked exhausted. He wondered if he had been sat in that chair the entire time Stiles was asleep. So he decided to go with the truth this time. "My head still kind of feels weird, kind of dizzy but it’s not too bad"

"And the cold?"

"I'm still kinda cold but it's nowhere near as bad as it was. I'll be fine dad." he gave his dad a reassuring smile.

"Deaton said that feeling cold might last a few days. Give me your hand," Stiles did as he was told even if it felt a little strange. Noah took it and turned it over so that it was facing palm up, he reached midway up Stiles’ arm and carefully removed the IV from it. Stiles new that his dad had done things like that loads when his mom was sick. He dropped Stiles’ hand to the bed, patted it gently and got up.

"So does this mean I can go, I really need to talk to Scott and the others." Excitement started to surge through Stiles, he thought for sure his dad would make him stay in bed for days, and he did need to talk to Scott, he wanted to find out what happened to the nymph but he also really needed to talk to Derek.

"No way in hell!" the words felt like a slap in the face. "You almost died Stiles." He ran his fingers through his hair and let out a sigh "look I have to go back in to the station in a couple of hours. Scott will be over then, and I'm sure whatever it is you need to talk to him about can last until then and if not" he threw Stiles’ phone onto his lap "you can make do with this."

***

  
"So what happened to it?" Scott had arrived just after Stiles’ dad left, it was a little after one in the afternoon. He had been reluctant to leave but Stiles had promised that he wouldn't go anywhere and reminded him that he had two days of work to catch up on.

Scott was sat in the chair by the desk and had been explaining that the nymph hadn't been part of a group at all, it had been captured by the guys Stiles and Derek met in the woods. They were planning on selling it. (Apparently you really can buy anything online.) It had escaped and been drawn to the Nemeton.

"Well me, Derek, Isaac, Cora and Alison and her dad tracked it and caught it. Deaton's taking it into the mountains, apparently there is a huge group of them living there. Deaton reckons it's where it was from originally,"

"So we're just letting it go, aren't we worried that it might try and kill anyone else?" Yes Stiles kind of wanted vengeance, he had nearly died out there and they were just letting this thing go. Scott gave a half-hearted shrug, and an apologetic grin, it was almost as if he could read Stiles’ mind some times.

"Deaton said that nymphs haven't hunted humans in over two hundred years, it probably just attacked you and Derek because it was scared,"

"Well that's just wonderful, as long as Deaton says so. I guess we'll just mark me almost dying as one of those unavoidable accidents," he could almost taste the sarcasm, what was worse was he could see Scott's point. So he decided to change the subject, he didn't want to get in to a battle of ethics with Scott. "So what about the guys that caught it in the first place?"  
"Me and Derek had a talk with them. They won't be trying to capture any more supernaturals in the future"

"Meaning?" Stiles indicated with his hands for Scott elaborate.  
Scott let out a deep sigh "Meaning Derek scarred the crap out of them, until they cried like babies promising never to do anything like it again, while I watched." a smirk flashed across Scott's face "he's actually been acting really strange since you guys got back."

Stiles was way too worried about Derek not to pry for further details. He tried to keep his tone even and remote as if he didn't care one way or the other, over what Scott had to say about Derek

"What do you mean by strange?"

"He's way more on edge then usual, I reckon he would have ripped those guys in half if I hadn't stopped him."

"So what's new there," Stiles said trying to deflect the remark. Scott looked toward Stiles, trying to read his facial expression which Stiles hopped he was keep relatively neutral, but then if Scott was trying to listen to his heart beat there was shit all Stiles could do. "If I didn't know any better," Scott added “I’d say he was worried about you,"

Stiles tried to brush over the remark, "So how did Deaton stop me from freezing to death?"

"I'm not sure really, he had this stuff made from herbs and stuff. He put it on the bite. It stank though kind of like..." Scott paused trying to find the words to best describe it.

"Like rotting fruit." Stiles interjected the memory coming back to him. “Oh god!” exclaimed Stiles suddenly horrified “Did Derek drive my Jeep?”

 

Scott stayed for a few hours after that, they kept the conversation lighter though, mostly playing video games.

 

After Scott left Stiles checked his wound, he rolled up the bottom of his sweet pants to just below his knee. A large white bandage was wrapped several times around his ankle, he unwound it carefully. It was hard to see the bite itself because a majority if his lower calf was covered in a thick green gunk. However what he could see seemed promising, his skin was no longer dark purple but pink and the bite didn't seem to be bleeding. Stiles showered and washed away the green stuff (witch seemed to cling to Stiles’ skin like glue) and dried blood, Stiles still couldn't put all his weight on his ankle making it very had to shower properly.  


He got dressed into khakis and a blue top and put a clean bandage on his leg and then put a blue pullover hoodie on because he just couldn't shake the cold feeling yet.

He sat down on the end of his bed, next to where he had put Derek's jacket after his dad had left, he stroked it mindlessly, feeling the soft leather under his fingertips. He was trying to decide whether it was worth going to see him now, before his dad got back. He decided against it, he had no clue when his dad was going to be home and if he got back and Stiles was gone he would be dead and he had already escaped death once this week.

 

So Stiles stayed home, he watched reruns on the TV but he wasn't paying attention, his mind kept obsessively going over what had happened in the woods. The fight with the nymph, thinking Derek was dead, falling asleep in the cave, Derek's arms wrapped around him, waking up to Derek kissing him saying he had to, too save Stiles’ life and most surprisingly Stiles not wanting the kiss to stop, the pang of disappointment when Derek pulled away.

But he had a concussion and he was freezing, he wasn't thinking straight, that was all it was, wasn't it? And Derek didn't think of Stiles like that either, how could he? And he said as much after, the kiss was just to save his life it didn't mean anything. Did it? Stiles hadn't even meant to react the way he had, he was just tired and cold and the whole thing took him by surprise. He was about to go over it again obsessing over every minor detail once more when his dad got back.

"I almost didn't expect to see you here," he said grinning " I got take out," He sat down next to Stiles on the coach taking several Chinese take out containers from a bag and putting them on the coffee table in front of them. Stiles didn't really feel like eating but he picked at some any way to make his dad happy. After they ate his dad apologized and said that he had to go back into work, Stiles decided to try his luck, just as his dad was at the door about to leave "Hey dad," his voice shook slightly, he was nervous, why would he be nervous. His dad turned to look at him "You think it would be ok if I went out for a bit, look I know you're worried about me but I stayed here all day just like you asked and I feel fine. Honesty," he was pleading, begging almost.

"Where do you need to go, Scott can come over here?"

Stiles took a deep breath "I wanted to go see Derek, he saved my life and I wanted to say thanks," it wasn't really a lie, it was just only telling part of the truth. Derek had saved his life and Stiles did want to thank him for it but that's not why Stiles had to see him now, he had to figure something out. His dad sighed "Fine. Just don't be out too late,"

***

Derek didn't know what to do with himself, he had been jumpy ever since the sheriff had taken Stiles away from Deaton's. Hunting the nymph and tracking down the hunters from the woods with Scott had been a welcome distraction.

Scott had sent Derek a single text message that morning but all it said was 'Stiles is awake. I'm going to see him later. I'll let you know more then' except it was coming up to nearly seven and Derek hadn't heard anything else, of course Derek new it was more than likely Scott had just forgotten but he was still on edge.

He was sat sprawled along the coach trying to read (but his mind wasn't focused he kept losing his place and having to reread entire paragraphs) when someone knocked at the door to the loft. It made him jump and he only just stopped himself from throwing the book across the room. He put it down next to him, relived that no one was around to see.

 

Stiles stood in front of him, looking slightly sheepish, and Derek’s jacket tucked under his arm.

"Hey," Stiles said he was drumming nervously at his thigh with his fingertips.

"Hi," It would have been an understatement to say Derek was surprised to see Stiles, he thought for sure the sheriff would have had him under house arrest. "What are you doing here Stiles?" he kept his tone flat trying not to let on how glad he was to see Stiles. He looked well Derek thought, the last time Derek saw him he had looked almost like a corpse.

"Oh, right" Stiles fumbled "I wanted to give this back" Stiles held out Derek's jacket. Derek took it. "And I wanted to say thanks, you know for saving my life,"

"It was nothing," Derek didn't know what to say he was feeling incredibly awkward after what had happened in the cave, it was the main reason he hadn't gone to visit Stiles.

"It wasn't nothing Derek, I would have died out there if it wasn't for you." there was such force and determination behind his words Derek didn't dare dispute them.

"How are you feeling?" he asked trying to change the subject as subtly as he could. Stiles grinned, apparently Derek wasn't that subtle.

"It feels like that's all anyone has asked me today," he shifted uncomfortably were he stood, Derek wished he had asked something else because of course Stiles was tired of telling people how he was feeling. "I'm ok" Stiles said and Derek believed he was being sincere. "My hands are still slightly cold but Deaton said that was normal,"

"Do you want to come inside?" Derek was suddenly aware that they had been stood awkwardly in the door way until now and it wasn't exactly the warmest night.

***

Derek had gone to make coffee leaving Stiles stood awkwardly in the middle of the loft, he didn't really know what to do with himself. He went over to the coach, there was a book on it, he picked up, he was being nosy he knew but he needed something to occupy himself with. He had just started to flip through the book, which he was pretty sure he read in English last year, when Derek appeared at the top of the spiral stair case a mug of coffee in each hand. Stiles nearly jumped out of his skin, he sat on the coach and put the book down. He hopped it wasn't too obvious that he had been going though Derek's things. Derek sat down at the other end of the coach and handed Stiles a mug,

"Thanks" he took the mug gratefully wrapping his hands around it to soak up as much of the heat possible. They sat in silence for what felt like forever, Stiles knew in reality it probably wasn't more than a couple of minutes but he had never been able to stand silence.

"Scott said you help him and the others track down they nymph" he didn't even stop to let Derek reply "you know what I can't believe?" he looked over to Derek and took a sip of his coffee, Derek just shrugged "Scott. Scott and his dam moral code and not killing that thing. I mean he's just going to let Deaton take it up to a nice spot in the mountains and let it go" Derek was grinning at Stiles, which made him feel oddly happy, he liked Derek's smile, he didn't do it nearly enough.

"It wasn't exactly my opinion on what we should have done to it,"

"Thank you," Stiles said poring every ounce of sarcasm into the words "I mean seriously, It not like the thing didn't nearly kill me" They stayed like this for about half an hour, Stiles rambling about Scott and the nymph, Derek just sat there agreeing and putting in bits of information Stiles had missed, until Stiles had finished his coffee.  


Stiles was surprisingly disappointed when he looked down to see his mug was empty, he was running out of things to say and reasons to stay. He put his mug down on the coffee table and got up "I should probably go, I promised my dad I wouldn't be out too late" he said and headed for the door, Derek followed him. He turned back to face Derek when they got to the door, his heart was pounding in his chest, he had to ask, he just had too. He swallowed, his mouth had gone dry "Derek, I." he took a deep breath his stomach was doing flips "I was, I was wondering... You know what it doesn't matter," but he couldn't say it. Coward stiles cursed at himself, he turned back to the door and went to leave. Derek grabbed Stiles by the wrist, it took him by surprise and he turned to look at Derek his piercing eyes looking down at Stiles.

"What is it?" Derek was absent minded stroking Stiles’ wrist with his thumb leaving trails of fire that seemed to burn through him, it made it hard for Stiles to concentrate. "What were you going to say Stiles?"

Stiles pulled his wrist from Derek shoving both hands into his pockets, he was staring intently at the floor. "The cave, the kiss that wasn't, that wasn't something I just dreamt was it?" Stiles shifted uncomfortably were he stood, Derek could hear his heart pounding in his chest "everything that happened out there is still kind off jumbled in my head from the concussion." Derek was too stunned to say anything instead he just nodded silently, "and I guess if it was real what I want to know is was it just to save my life or was it something else too?" Derek could smell the anxiety on stiles, but he barely noticed his head was swimming with everything Stiles was saying. "Because if I'm being perfectly honest with myself, I wanted it to be something else. Something more." Stiles’ words felt like a punch in the face Derek had never thought that there was even a possibility of Stiles reciprocating his feeling, but Derek was stunned and didn't know how to respond. Stiles’ heart beat seemed to slow down all of a sudden like all of his nervous energy had just dissipated "but I realise that it probably isn't the case for you, so I’ll just go." Stiles turned to leave.

"Stiles wait," he cursed at himself wishing that he was better with words he never knew what to say everything important always came out as a mess, just look what happened after Scott was bitten. Stiles was looking at him now his amber eyes seemed to drill right into Derek's soul. "Don't go. I" but Derek didn't get to finish his sentence because Stiles’ lips were on his. The kiss was tentative and unsure, Derek was too surprised to react and it only lasted a second and when Stiles was about to pull away which drew Derek back into focus. Derek pulled him closer one of his hands on Stiles’ back the other tracing Stiles’ jaw line with his thumb. The kiss was deep and passionate and Derek's heart was beating so fast he was sure Stiles could hear it but he didn't care. One of Stiles’ hands was in Derek's hair the other on the back of his neck sending jolts of electricity down Derek's spine making him unable to think straight.

***

Stiles woke up to the sound of someone closing the door to the loft, it was dark and it took him a moment to get his bearings memories from earlier that evening came flooding back. Kissing Derek and Derek kissing him back, stumbling over to the coach but them both being so wrapped up in each other he would have tripped over the coffee table if Derek hadn't caught him, Derek laughing at him for it but Stiles didn't care because Derek's entire face changed and became lighter when he laughed and Stiles would do anything to see it like that more often and then they were on the coach and Derek had taken his shirt of at some point and Stiles was exploring every inch of tanned mussel with his hands and Derek was leaving a trail of kisses down Stiles’ neck and each one felt like fire and then he stopped and looked at Stiles, he was smiling a proper dorky smile like he couldn't quite believe Stiles was really there and that smile just made Stiles’ heart want to burst. When his eyes adjusted he could see Cora over by the stairs a smug grin on her face, normally Stiles thought he would be embarrassed to be found cuddled up on a couch with a topless Derek Hale but if he was being perfectly honest he was just too tired. Cora must have sensed that he was awake "It's about dam time" she said, he looked up toward her surprised but she had already started up the stairs she was about half way up when she turned around again "Don't break his heart ok" and she climbed the rest of the stairs faster then Stiles could see.

"I wasn't planning on it." Stiles said to the empty room, he kept his voice low knowing full well Cora could hear him. Stiles looked up at Derek's face amazed at how much younger Derek looked when he slept. Stiles smiled to himself, he didn't even care how much trouble he was going to be in when he went home tomorrow, he ran his fingers through Derek's hair because apparently that was something he could do now, but there was no way he was leaving tonight, so he closed his eyes and went back to sleep.

 

 

 


End file.
